“That business has been here longer than a lot of businesses in the main street so it’s part of our DNA might you say,” he said.

A small WA farming town might seem a surprising choice for the major training facility of China's biggest airline, but the clear skies and open space have made it China Southern Air's most successful flying school.

Until it was suspended in September 2016.

The flying college was grounded due to a lack of 'approved personnel' by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority, which is now working with the college to get it back up and running.

Camera IconA councillor at the time, Martin Morris said the airstrip had become “part of the town”.Picture: Today Tonight

Mr Morris said a lot of work had gone into getting the school to Merredin and an equal amount of work should be done to make sure it stayed in town.

“If anything Merredin should be held up as being leaders to get multinational investment into country Western Australia,” he said.

But outside of Merredin, not everyone's so optimistic... Aviation veteran Dick Smith dislikes foreign ownership of an Australian airport.

“It's a real problem the Chinese now own a tremendous amount of our land,” said Mr Smith

“We have to understand it's still a very small percentage, but it's the best. They buy the best.”

With a shortage of Australian pilots, Mr Smith believes local training schools should be prioritised... especially after the revelation foreign pilots will be allowed into Australia on two year working visas.

“We're the safest country in the world for flying I think mainly because we've had Aussie pilots,” Mr Smith said.